Quinta do Mocho murals

{{Short description|Street art near Lisbon}}

The Quinta do Mocho murals are a public art project in a housing estate in Sacavém, north east of Lisbon, Portugal.{{cite web|first1=João Pedro|last1=Pincha|access-date=2022-02-12|title=Foi-se o preconceito, venham os turistas|url=https://www.publico.pt/2018/06/28/local/reportagem/foise-o-preconceito-venham-os-turistas-1836235|website=Público (Portugal)}}{{cite web|first1=Joana Gorjão|last1=Henriques|access-date=2022-02-12|title=Vende-se uma Lisboa multicultural|url=https://www.publico.pt/2016/04/17/sociedade/noticia/vendese-uma-lisboa-multicultural-1729202|website=Público (Portugal)}}{{cite web|access-date=2022-02-12|title=Arte urbana dá vida nova ao edificado|url=https://www.jornaldenegocios.pt/negocios-em-rede/imobiliario-e-reabilitacao-urbana/detalhe/arte-urbana-da-vida-nova-ao-edificado|website=Jornal de Negócios}} The project was initiated in 2014 and as of 2018 consisted of 94 large scale murals on buildings.{{cite web|access-date=2022-02-12|title=How this crime-plagued Lisbon estate became the city's coolest open air gallery|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/travel/europe/quinta-do-mocho-lisbon-estate-street-art-festival-gallery-portugal-immigration-crime-a8484161.html|date=9 August 2018|website=The Independent}}

The Quinta do Mocho social housing project, consisting of four-story buildings, was built in the 1990s to house 3,000 people, mostly from former Portuguese colonies in Africa—Cape Verde, Guinea and Angola.{{cite web|access-date=2022-02-12|title=Street art creates a splash of new life for Lisbon barrio|url=https://www.thejakartapost.com/life/2020/01/31/street-art-creates-a-splash-of-new-life-for-lisbon-barrio.html|website=The Jakarta Post}} Social exclusion, high unemployment and poor housing standards contributed to the area having high crime rates and various social problems. In order to improve the district's image, in 2014 local officials invited Portuguese and foreign artists to paint murals on its buildings.{{cite news|access-date=2022-02-12|title=Lisbon's outdoor art gallery – in pictures|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/gallery/2020/feb/10/lisbons-outdoor-art-gallery-in-pictures|newspaper=The Guardian|date=10 February 2020|issn=0261-3077}} The municipality has since stopped organising the project, however residents now maintain it and offer guided tours to visitors. According to local officials, since the murals were painted, a bus line now serves the area, cultural events have multiplied, and the crime rate has fallen.{{cite web|access-date=2022-02-12|title=Open-air artwork to peek at and take pics|url=https://www.timeout.com/lisbon/art/open-air-artwork-to-peek-at-and-take-pics-in-lisbon|website=Time Out Lisbon}}